US stocks closed on Friday at new highs and are expected to continue north today.
Companies, which are likely to be in play include huge chocolate maker Hershey Co (NYSE:HSY) as it revealed it was to buy SkinnyPop popcorn maker Amplify Snack Brands (NYSE:BETR) in a deal valued at US$1.6 billion, including debt, to bolster its healthy snack unit.
Hershey Co shares closed out Friday up 0.69% at US$114.14, while Amplify shares shed 2.37% to US$7 each.
JUST IN: Hershey to pay $1.6 billion for Amplify Snack Brands, makers of such snacks as Skinny Pop popcorn and Tyrrell's potato chips pic.twitter.com/Z9Q9y0n4DX
— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) December 18, 2017
Meanwhile, Humana Inc ( NYSE:HUM) is likely to be in focus. Shares closed on Friday up 1.21% to US$253.64 as it emerged that the company and private equity firms are in advanced talks to acquire Kindred Healthcare Inc (NYSE;KND).
Last but definitely not least, shares in Kindred surged over 12% to US$9.65 each in pre-market deals.
Meanwhile, the Chinese e-commerce firm Vipshop Holdings Ltd (NYSE:VIPS) surged over 44% to US$12.19 as it announced a whopping US$863 million investment by JD.com and Tencent.